Loverly
by Aya8
Summary: Semi-long song fic. SasuSaku, SasuSakuNaru, SasuSakuNaruKakaSaiYama. Sasuke waged a war against the council of Konaha; Sakura goes on a mission and loses her memory. Lots of other stuff in between.
1. Chapter 01

Title: Loverly

Original Title: My Life Would Suck Without You

Summary: Semi-long song fic. SasuSaku, SasuSakuNaru, SasuSakuNaruKakaSaiYama. Sasuke waged a war against the council of Konaha; Sakura goes on a mission and loses her memory.

Spoilers: **Up to **_**Manga 449**_. My Life Would Suck Without You by Kelly Clarkson. I'd also like to point out a lot of characters that originally died in the Manga end up being alive in this story, some I'll explain, some I won't! Mainly Itachi, possibly Jiraiya.

Loverly: like, characteristic of, or in the manner of a lover; lover like.

Chapter One:

"_Guess this means you're sorry._

_You're standing at my door  
Guess this means you take back_

_All you said before  
Like how much you wanted anyone but me  
Said you'd never come back  
But here you are again,"_

**Sakura**

Sakura was sore and tired, but more importantly she was surprised, hurt even. Why would he attack the council, Konoha? What had we done to him? Granted she wasn't part of the council, but it was part of Konoha, like she was, like Naruto.

Why did Sasuke hate us so much? Why did Sasuke _hate _so much?

She pulled her fist out of the sound ninja's chest and swallowed as she stared at her bloodied hand. Chunks of yellow and red flesh clung to her knuckles and her stomach turned as she walked over to the burned grass to clean the gunk off.

Konoha was losing. They were losing. They'd lost. She could feel it. God, she could _see_ it.

Naruto was still recovering from the fight with Nagato or else they may have had a chance. No one had ever said Sasuke was stupid. He'd picked the perfect opportunity, only a month after Nagato's invasion. The town was basically in shambles from Pein and the Shinobi that weren't too injured to fight were dead, or just too tired to do a decent job.

Sakura whimpered slightly at the gash in her side which caused a jolt of pain to shoot through her as she limped towards a fallen Kakashi. She needed to fix him, he was a main fighter to Konoha, she needed to…

She collapsed against her sensei's chest. "Kashi?" was all she could manage. She'd have to save her strength if she was going to heal Kakashi. He should have been in the hospital being treated for his death encounter with Pain. It was considered a "death encounter" because he had died, Nagato, after his belief in Naruto to change the world, just brought him back.

"Sakura, save your chakra for the next person that attacks you," Kakashi coughed out.

She bit her lip in a half smile, a tear sliding down her dirt smudged cheek. "Not a chance! Especially when I can have _you_ protect me," she whispered, gently caressing her hand down the Sharingan side of his face.

She'd almost lost him once, it wouldn't happen again.

"Sakura-"

Green chakra vibrated off her hand as she sliced through the fabric of his Jounin uniform.

"You should have just ripped it," he managed, his eyes focusing skyward with defeat.

"I couldn't run the risk of causing internal damage by jerking your body," she commented, trying to sound as casual as possible.

The wound was vicious. Kakashi must have pissed off the ninja, who'd given him this, she was thankful it wasn't fatal.

"We lost," he spoke suddenly.

"I know."

"So why haven't they captured the injured?"

Sakura glanced quickly up at Kakashi, and then went back to her healing. Was it a rhetorical question? Wouldn't he know better than she? "I don't know," she whispered, wondering how four people could take down the mighty Konoha, even if they had been weak from previous attacks. No one should be that strong!

Kakashi took a deep breath, as if he'd been holding it back, "Naruto and Sai?"

"Naruto, I don't think has even heard. It was short—it didn't even take two days. I haven't seen Sai at all since Wednesday. Yamato, I believe, is with Shisou." Sakura took in a deep shuddering breath and paused before she asked the question that had been plaguing her for a while. "Are we being punished for loving Sasuke?"

Kakashi stared at her with that knowing look of his. He lifted his hand and trailed it down the side of her face, over her bottom lip, before cupping her cheek. "You shouldn't love him so much, there are plenty of men in Konoha who love you and know a good thing when he sees it. If only you'd look their way."

Sakura snorted and rolled her eyes, giving him a small smile, but not believing him for a second. "You have to say things like that; you used to be my sensei."

His eyes crinkled, letting her know he was smiling, "Actually I shouldn't say things like that _because _I used to be your sensei."

Sakura frowned. "Oh."

_Awkward,_ Inner Sakura commented, causing outer Sakura's cheeks to flush red.

A shadow fell over them. Sakura braced herself, but knew she wouldn't fight.

_Should I ignore them then? Would they go away? Would they kill me?_

"You are required in the hospital, Naruto's room specifically. Meeting is taking place" the boisterous blond Nin barked.

Sakura, careful not to make any sudden movements, lifted her eyes. "He can barely walk as it is. Just how do you propose we get him there? I need what little chakra I have left," she informed him softly.

The blond smiled down at her like he knew a joke and wouldn't share. "Not him, you."

Which was something that had not crossed her mind, though it made perfect sense; she was a Medic Nin after all.

She lifted her eyes casually to stare at the man in front of her. "Me? What for? I'm not injured much. If you think I'll heal your men, you've another thing coming—and if torture is your repertoire then you should be prepared for complications!"

He snorted, trying to cover up a bark of laughter that threatened to escape, before getting dangerously serious. "Konoha lost. Your Hokage is no longer in charge, so move your ass or do I have to move it for you?"

Sakura held her tongue. Her chakra was low; if she was needed in the hospital to heal someone she would need it, but first Kakashi…fighting was never an option. "Let me heal him first please? Then I won't fight you at all."

"No."

Sakura sighed. Fighting wasn't ruled out however. "Then I guess you'll have to fight me."

His eyes sharpened and he reached for his sword as if on instinct, but stopped just short of touching the handle. "I have orders."

She gritted her teeth as she continued to force the subject, fighting the tears that were about to flow. This was too much, if he wouldn't let her heal Kaka-sensei then… "And I have a duty to my friend."

Kakashi coughed, blood dribbling down the corner of his mouth, as he reached out and patted her thigh. "Sakura, just go, I'll be fine. The Hokage may need you."

She didn't take her eyes away from the blond guy as she spoke. "You have five broken ribs and one is about to puncture your lung and these minor cuts on the outside aren't so minor when left alone. Also, don't forget who was knocking on heavens door not but a month a go, even if you were brought back to life!"

The silence that followed was almost enough for Sakura to avert her attention away from the blond Nin. She could feel Kakashi's eyes boring a hole into her, the blond Nin whom reminded her a bit of Naruto, carefully assessing the situation. "You think I would go to heaven?" Kakashi whispered softly. The shock was evident in his voice. "If there is such a thing for men like me," he added softly.

Sakura turned her attention back to the silver haired Shinobi and smiled. "What do you mean if there is such a thing for men like you? I know you would go to heaven. Heaven would be so lucky to have more men like you, Kaka-sensei."

Another cough, "I'm not your sensei anymore," he replied, his voice husky with emotion.

The blond ninja, who reminded her somewhat of an eviler Naruto once again, rubbed the back of his neck. It was obvious this made him uneasy to watch any form of emotion. Sakura felt sorry for him.

He clucked his tongue with impatience. "Hurry up. And how the hell do you know all that? About his condition I mean."

Her stare moved from Kakashi, defiance filling her eyes. "I'm a Medic Nin! It's my job to know."

He glared at her, debating what to do. It was when he sighed however that she knew she'd won.

_Strike one for Sakura_, Inner Sakura squealed with pride.

"Heal him, but I'm blaming you for the lateness! Hurry up now!"

"Fine! I can't just do it with a snap of my fingers you know," she snapped, returning to fixing Kakashi. She bent down slowly to whisper in Kakashi's ear, "Now you really will be okay," she spoke affectionately, her voice a bit rough with the threat of happy tears. She placed a gentle kiss against his exposed skin and then rubbed her cheek in the same spot, a bit like a kitten would search for attention. Sakura was going for comfort, for him just as much as herself.

The blond Nin was now a candidate for being on her "good list."

Five minutes later the blond was getting agitated. "Are you done yet?"

There went the candidacy.

She was tired and very nearly drained. His constant sighing and that last bit were irritating the hell out of her too. "It's all I can do right now. I'm sorry," she spoke to Kakashi, purposefully ignoring the man standing above them. "It'll be enough for now though. Just try not to move too much okay?"

"Finally! Sasuke's going to be cranky."

"When is he not cranky?" Sakura muttered to herself, hoping it would be low enough that the blond wouldn't hear.

Apparently the hybrid heard it all the same. "Hear, hear," he replied, "the names Suigetsu by the way."

It was the red clouds on a black cloak she saw, once she entered Naruto's hospital room, which caused her to react without thinking much. Her heart still jolted as she looked at him leaning against the window sill. Immediately chakra flowed to her hands, which had now formed into fists. She hadn't realized he'd joined Akatsuki.

She couldn't believe it! After everything Akatsuki had put her through, Naruto through, the town! Itachi was a part of this group! Why in the hell…

She formed the conclusion instantly. "You are **not** taking him!" she screamed at Sasuke, enunciating every word, carefully avoiding his eyes. "What is **wrong** with you? We are not the ones who killed your family!"

Her chest was heaving; she couldn't decide whether she was out of breath or about to burst into tears.

"Don't jump to conclusions," Suigetsu started.

"Oh shut up! What are you? Twelve?" she growled angrily at him, her eyes continuing to stare at Sasuke's feet. "How could you join Akatsuki—after everything…I'll make you sorry if you do this Sasuke and I am not the weak, pathetic little girl I used to be," she spoke simply, but harshly. "I may not be up to par with you, but I **will** make you sorry."

"Hn," was all he said.

Oh he infuriated her. He hadn't changed at all! What the hell did she ever see in him?

"Why can't you just get over it? Villages burn and people die and it sucks, but you have got to just let it go!"

She flinched as his feet shifted. _Diarrhea mouth_, Inner Sakura yelled.

"Let it go? Get over it?" his voice was dull, monotone, like always.

Sakura took a huge breath. She was sorry for how she said it, but she wasn't going to apologize. He had put them through hell. "Revenge is so busy, it's so consuming. Forgive your brother before you end up killing yourself. You haven't a clue how much that would damage the people who care about you." she paused and quickly shook her head. She licked her lips before continuing. "There are two sides to a story and you only ever knew your side, but either way you're letting your brother win."

"Damn, you're long winded Pinkie," the girl next to Sasuke snorted.

Her eyebrow twitched. _Pinkie? What the fuck?_ Inner Sakura growled so loudly Sakura wondered if it could be heard in reality. _At least I'm natural!_ She felt like shouting, but didn't, choosing a different route, which was perhaps not for the better.

"Are you punishing us Sasuke? Are you punishing us because we loved you _so much_?" she whispered, her voice breaking and her vision blurring the tiles of the hospital room.

"They ordered him to do it." Sasuke's voice was low, but still no emotion.

"What? Who ordered who? I don't und-understand."

"Itachi."

Her head jerked up, her eyes, still filled with tears, widening in shock. She understood as she stared into his Sharingan red eyes. She closed her mouth, which had fallen open at the confession. She couldn't stop it from falling open again.

Sasuke had never lied to her; sometimes he'd been brutal about his truth. She had no reason to doubt him. She also understood, more than anything, a Ninja's duty to a village.

So that's why Sasuke went after the Konaha council members, why he killed them. She'd been so wrong.

Sakura turned her eyes to a broken Tsunade, wondering how she hadn't noticed the broken, bloody woman draped messily over a chair. "Oh," she whispered.

After everything a tear finally escaped down her cheek. Itachi had been a child prodigy; she'd done her research extensively. He'd been so young when he joined Anbu. He was bred to kill, but the council took it too far. They needed to test his loyalty.

Sakura could see all too clearly now. "God!" she sobbed behind her hand.

Tsunade frowned as watched the young pink haired woman. She was so strong, but so innocent. This was knowledge Tsunade had wanted to protect Sakura from. She had just wanted to protect her and Naruto. Funny how things never work out the way you want them to.

"We are all here for a reason. So let's hear it," Tsunade finally spoke up.

"Konaha has been defeated. On the honor of "you keep what you kill," we would be in charge for a very long time, by killing your Hokage and a few others."

"So why haven't you?" Sakura prompted, also wanting to question why he was talking exclusively to her.

"We have a proposition for you, Naruto, and your Hokage."

"I should go get Shizune…" Sakura started, going towards the door. "She's Shisou's advisor."

"Stay," Sasuke's voice clipped.

Her hand had been on the door knob when he'd spoken. She gritted her teeth and let her hand drop.

"Why are _we_ here?" Sakura asked irritation evident in her voice as she referred to herself and a currently sleeping, but snoring rather loudly, Naruto.

_Dear lord he could sleep through the end of the world-literally!_ Inner Sakura snorted.

"The proposition," Tsunade pushed.

"You let the four of us stay here in Konoha as trusted Shinobi with extensive medical care issued to Juugo. Top medics will be administered and rumor has it the two top medics in the world are here, the Hokage and her apprentice—which we have yet to find," Suigetsu added, staring at Sasuke. "Sasuke will rejoin team seven and he should be treated as if he'd been there from the beginning. He will have access to his family fortune and estates; he will be upgraded to Jounin status-"

"No," Tsunade piped up. "I can agree to all of those terms except the last. I understand I'm in no position to barter at the moment, but I must say this. If you want Jounin status you earn it, you do the competitions like everyone else—that goes for all three of you. You want Jounin pay and the respect the status brings, you fight for it."

"I can agree to that," Sasuke spoke, his voice hinting to Tsunade not to push much harder though.

"So Hokage, we need the name of the second top medic. Who is it?"

Sakura sighed. "The woman I was about to get, before I was stopped." Sakura spoke at the same time Tsunade said, "She's in this room."

Sakura snorted, folding her arms in front of her chest. "What?"

Tsunade sighed, feeling extremely tired. "You never did believe much in yourself. People can be cruel and they sure did a number on you Sakura. You're ability has almost surpassed me. I know it, Shizune knows it, but yet you don't."

"I have a migraine," was all Sakura could manage, placing her fingers against either side of her temple.

"Your Hokage has agreed to some of the terms already. What do you say Sakura-chan?" Suigetsu asked.

She slowly lifted her eyes, anger evident in the green depths of them. "Don't say my name like you know me."

He put his hands up in surrender.

"I want to know why what I say matters? The Hokage said yes after all."

Suigetsu cocked his head to the side, his eyes searching her face, causing an uneasy filling in Sakura. "It matters. We'll ask Naruto as well."

"There are more members of Team Seven that should be here, that should be asked. Sai, Kakashi, Yamato, why aren't they here to hear this?" Sakura asked.

"Kakashi will do as he's told—it was what he was bred for, we didn't know of Sai and Yamato. In fact Sasuke could care less of the two, so it really doesn't matter," Suigetsu answered.

Sakura sighed. "Naruto will agree."

"And you?"

Sakura's shoulders sagged. She wanted Sasuke so much. She wanted him back, but the baggage he was brining…could she accept them? "I don't know and unfortunately I don't think I'll know for a while."

"Why don't you know?" Suigetsu prompted.

Sakura's mouth dropped. _A freaking twelve year old!_ Inner Sakura growled, "Because I just don't okay!"

"_Unfortunately_," Suigetsu mimicked, "we need an answer. Now!"

Sakura looked to Sasuke, wondering whether blondie was serious or just being too hasty and apparently not. Sasuke was staring at her just like Suigetsu and the other two, whom hadn't been introduced yet.

"I don't know them," she spoke helplessly at Sasuke, her eyes searching his blank ones. "What the hell am I supposed to say?"

"TEME!"

_Here we go, _Inner Sakura sighed.

"Dobe."

"Naruto, lower your voice," Tsunade barked, clutching her head. "Sakura's not the only one fighting a migraine."

Sakura listened silently as the proposition once more was brought up to Naruto.

"Of course I agree if it means getting Teme back with us, right Sakura-chan?"

Naruto could make her believe anything. With one smile he'd erased whatever doubts she had about Sasuke's new team mates.

"She hasn't actually given us an answer."

"What?"

Sakura walked carefully towards Naruto, making a 'move over' motion with her hands. "I just—"

"It's what we've wanted from the beginning, it's what you've wanted," Naruto spoke softly.

"Can you forgive him so easily?" she whispered, trying not to get lost in his cerulean blue eyes.

Suigetsu lifted an eyebrow. "Wasn't it you talking about forgiveness a few minutes ago?"

Sakura growled. "You really piss me off!"

"Isn't true though?"

Her fists clenched, as she failed to point it out loud that Sasuke's had practically his whole life to forgive his brother and they've had but three years.

Naruto lifted his hand and cautiously tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. "Sakura-chan?"

"Fine. My answer is yes as long as the others agree."

"The others do not matter."

"They matter to me! You'll have my answer when you've gotten theirs."

"Why can't you just answer the question Sakura?" Suigetsu asked calmly.

Sakura started to pull away from the bed, advancing towards him, but Naruto's grip on her wrist managed to stop her. She let the anger in her voice prove her point; the fists would have to wait. "Because I can't help but think with that cloak Sasuke is wearing that there's an ulterior motive of getting us to trust you and then you all taking Naruto."

Suigetsu started to speak, but a quick glance at Sasuke caused him to be silent.

Apparently it was the red heads turn to speak. "Suigetsu shut-up! We will respect your fear. If situations were reversed I'd feel the same. Now our political demands…"

"Can we do this later? I'm dead tired and I could use a drink," Tsunade commented with a bit of longing in her voice.

"Me too," Sakura whispered, adjusting herself more comfortably on the bed so she could lean against Naruto's side.

"We feel for your situation, but we must do this now," Suigetsu commented, not sounding the least bit sorry.

The political demands seemed to go on forever and Sakura found herself wondering if they had a choice anyhow.

"…and finally Sasuke will be looking to revive his clan, he expects no trouble."

Revive his…how the hell did he plan on doing that? Sakura turned wide eyed to Sasuke. She had always been slightly afraid of Sasuke, but now…"You can raise the dead?"

"What? No," Suigetsu snorted, and then quickly turned to Sasuke. "Can you?"

Sasuke scowled, but didn't answer.

Silence filled the room and she found herself wondering if she'd said something wrong.

"Are you really the top medic Nin?" the red head asked, looking slightly shocked.

"Sakura-chan—" Naruto sighed, giving a 'he-he' before continuing. "I don't think he meant revive as in bring back to life so much as revive as in restart."

She took a breath, "Oh, well words can have so many meanings."

She could feel the heat burning her face and knew she was as red as a tomato. That explains the presence of the red head, she thought to herself.

_How the hell were you supposed to know that's what he meant? Isn't he asexual anyhow? _Inner Sakura commented.

"Suigetsu what do you get out of this? I understand Juugo and the girl, but what about you?" Sakura had finally managed.

Suigetsu shrugged. "It'll be nice to belong somewhere and not be just an experiment."

To Be Continued…

Movie quote references: Never Been Kissed (Kakashi—sensei line), The Crow (Villages burn line), and I'm positive there's something else, but I can't remember.

Definitely a work in progress! I've been working on it for a while now. Originally it started after Manga 444; of course it's been updated to be compliant with 449. Enjoy! Point out mistakes, review, and so forth!


	2. Chapter 02

Loverly Chapter Two:

"_Maybe I was stupid for telling you goodbye  
Maybe I was wrong for trying to pick a fight  
I know that I've got issues  
But you're pretty messed up too  
Either way, I found out I'm nothing without you."_

"Juugo how is it? Have you noticed any changes?" Sakura asked, walking through the Uchiha compound, towards the balcony where the young man currently sat in simple wicker chair.

She leaned forward and pushed his shirt aside examining the bluish black bruise on him. Her fingers brushed over it gently and sighed as he flinched slightly. Sakura understood he didn't have much human contact, from where he'd been and with Team Hebi. She'd touched him in a friendly manner probably more than he'd ever been touched in his life. Juugo seemed to be getting used to how Sakura got to know people. He no longer jolted away from her smile or a gentle touch on his shoulder, but every time she touched this mark…this mark that seemed to suck the life out of so many people, he would flinch.

"The healing seal seems to have been somewhat effective."

"Really?" Sakura beamed, "that's terrific!"

Juugo cleared his throat and pulled back slightly from her fingers, which had been probing the infected area perhaps a bit too long. "Yes, it is," he spoke softly, his eyes seeming to adjust from the ground to her face and that's where they stayed. His eyes searched her face; he just stared at her, with a bit of curiosity. He'd been doing that a lot lately. The gazing, his eyes were intense and sometimes, since it had started, she would find herself blushing deeply. Not that she could see the blush, she could feel it and at one point she'd excused herself to the bathroom only to find her face bright red. This made the embarrassment almost devastating when she'd bumped into Juugo on the way out. His arms had come forward to catch her and the corner of his mouth lifted. He gave her a crooked smile. Her knees went weak.

That's right. Her knees turned to jelly. Lucky once more that Juugo was so strong. He'd then asked if she was okay and all she could do was nod. Juugo's smile was not ordinary. It wasn't like Gaara's, where if he smiled it kind of startled you, Juugo's smile was slow at first, but the bigger it got the more he looked like a God.

Like putting a frog into cold water and bringing the water to a slow boil. Cooked frog…cooked Sakura.

Sakura quickly slipped her reading glasses into place as she recorded the discoloration of the wound and the results of the Jitsu. She'd been working on this for a month and she was getting a bit irritated with the lack of results. Of course she knew it was a complicated procedure, but she'd expected Tsunade to help as well, to double the effort and get it cured more quickly. Tsunade, however, felt comfortable that Sakura didn't need help, or had better things to do. So to make up for the lack of help Sakura had spent hours in the library, hours reading medical script upon medical script to the point that she'd memorized them, and maybe a little more time at the Uchiha compound than she'd have liked. And, unfortunately, the results were minimal at best.

It wasn't Juugo that was putting her in a state of permanent unease over her small amount of success either. He wasn't putting pressure on her; in fact he was unusually nice and aside from his almost erotic stares she rather liked Juugo. It was Anko. Every time she saw the woman she would ask one question. It never changed, just three words. "Cure it yet?" her voice always hopeful, but Sakura would shake her head and watch as Anko's eyes fell sad.

She felt horrible over the lack of results for the woman and wanted to tell her that each seal Orochimaru had given was completely different. That fortunately Juugo was the original carrier in which Orochimaru had gotten the seals, but that didn't help because it was like a virus with different strands, requiring different cures. So Sakura hadn't been only working on Juugo's cure, but Anko's as well…Sasuke didn't seem to care about his, so she didn't bother.

In the other where…she'd been too busy to join in on missions with team seven, which now consisted of Sasuke, Karin, Suigetsu, and Juugo. Sai abhorred Sasuke, which had been made obvious awhile ago, Naruto and Suigetsu were constant irritations to themselves and others, and Karin and Sasuke just tried to stay away from it. Karin would occasionally make a snide comment on the fights between Naruto and Suigetsu, as well as her disgust for Sai, however. Most of team seven still actually got paid at Genin level, but were taking missions that were far into Jounin level. Tsunade had tried to, at first keep the Genin doing low rank jobs, but Naruto had complained to so much that Tsunade simply just gave in. Since only four could really go out on a mission together Tsunade had managed a decent job of mixing everyone up. Team seven needed to learn how to work with all of its members.

For her personally, out of the three new additions, Juugo was her favorite. Suigetsu was a bit like Naruto, so she had no problem with him and Karin…

Sakura had expected trouble from the red head at first. It hurt that Karin was most likely here to help Sasuke with his 'revival,' of his clan, but Sakura also didn't want to jump to conclusions and deem the girl an enemy when she didn't have to be. Honestly she didn't know how she felt about Sasuke anymore. Well she knew she loved him, but she didn't know if she was in love with him.

To be honest Karin wasn't actually all that bad, though it does slightly unnerve her when Karin gets a bit possessive of Sasuke. And she does hang on him a lot…and the two are always huddled close together talking about something only to go quiet when Sakura would pass by.

She was a bit jealous, but if they were supposed to pretend that Sasuke had never actually left the pair was sure making it hard. Sakura should be the one fawning, but she knew Sasuke understood the time and age difference between what they are and what they used to be.

"Sakura."

Sakura lifted her eyes, nothing more from her examination pad.

Speak of the damned devil.

"Karin."

Okay, so Sakura was really jealous, but the greeting was honestly warm. Karin wasn't Sakura's best friend, far from it, but she knew treating Karin somewhat decently was beneficial to treating Juugo…for the time being. Team Hebi seemed to just live with Sasuke, they were always around. Besides, Sakura could honestly say that it was just little things that Karin did that annoyed Sakura, but she was definitely getting past them.

_Who are you kidding?_ Inner Sakura growled.

_I'm handling it like an adult._

"Are you listening?"

She blinked as she looked up completely from her sitting position in front of Juugo to see Sasuke, in his usual Orochimaru style attire, staring down at her. He was expecting an answer, though most people wouldn't have been able to tell. He was always so careful with his expressions. "Sorry…" she stated simply.

He glared down at her. "Hn."

Sasuke turned and started walking away.

"That was very insightful. It was nice talking with you as well Sasuke-kun," she snorted with laughter.

He paused, but didn't turn to say anything.

He was never very talkative, but Sakura could tell that he really had been trying with herself and Naruto. Maybe she shouldn't make tiny jokes at him about it, but it was her way of showing that she cared whether or not he was able to be social.

When the rest of team seven had consented to the Team Hebi's terms Sakura had been surprised, but they had all known Naruto and Sakura's feelings of having Sasuke back. Differences were put aside and everyone was really trying. But she'dbeen avoiding Sasuke, when he didn't sneak up on her anyhow, for the obvious reasons. She didn't know how to act around him anymore; he'd hated her before, barely tolerating her when they were twelve. He didn't stay for her. She wasn't good enough. Too many things.

Sakura had just been informed the other day that a mission near Suna was required of her. Apparently she'd be specifically requested. It was low rank, the pay was crap, but only because of the situation it had presented to Konaha. Tsunade agreed to the small pay because the daughter was willing to go through experiments Tsunade had been curious about. It was a teenage girl, perhaps about fifteen, with stage three of pancreatic cancer and her father agreed to the terms, just hoping to make the pain as less as possible. Experimentation, however, wasn't quick. It would be up until the point of death. The girl was given an estimated three to six weeks to live if the experimentation to get rid of the pain actually worked. Pancreatic cancer was extremely painful and operations were, for the most part, required just to reduce the pain. The serum, if it worked, would make her feel like she wasn't dying. She'd be able to move and laugh for the last few weeks of her life. It would make it a little easier; give her more time to have a few more experiences.

If it did work the experimental serum Tsunade and Shizune created would be used erase the pain and actual physical symptoms. It would heal the girl in almost every aspect, except the main problem and operations wouldn't even be heard of.

The trouble was Sasuke would not be pleased with her leaving. It wasn't because he cared, the cold hard truth was painful she knew, but it was screwing with the groups' terms of agreement.

It was a necessity, it had to be done.

She had yet to tell Sasuke that she'd be leaving and since Sakura was going to be gone so long Naruto insisted on a small get together that very night. Sakura knew Naruto like the back of her hand and was thankful that he'd wait until the last minute to inform Sasuke of the get together.

She quickly scribbled some possible theorems she could put together of Jitsu's that would attain better results.

"Juugo, are you coming tonight?" she asked suddenly, lifting her gaze to his.

Sakura tried not to flinch. It would seem he'd been staring at her very intently again. Honestly it wasn't only Juugo; his gazes were just more intense a bit like Sasuke's almost. It just gave her chills. The group in its entirety did it frequently, the strange intent stares. It was like they all knew something about her that they refused to tell her. She'd asked Naruto about it, but he was oblivious and Kaka-sensei just crinkled his eyes in his usual smiling way. Then he'd mumbled "they just found someone gorgeous to look at."

She'd given him a small hug, knowing he was just being nice. She said as much, and thanked him.

"I will come, if you want me to."

She smiled and gave a small roll of her eyes, reaching out to bop his shoulder playfully. "Of course I want you to come."

And thank goodness Juugo had been okay with a possible six week break from his treatment. Sasuke wasn't going to like this.

Sakura paused to smile once more at Juugo. It shouldn't matter.

"A six week hiatus was not part of the deal."

Sakura sighed. She should have known this would have been said as soon as she took her seat next Naruto and Ino. "Possibly six weeks and I don't see why you care. Juugo was perfectly fine with the situation. Tsunade and Shizune have agreed to alternate shifts as well."

"A six week hiatus was not part of the deal," he repeated, his voice giving away no emotion, but his eyes carrying a whole different story, though he wasn't officially glaring yet.

She took a deep breath, trying not to be angry with him. "Me being the only one to work on Juugo wasn't part of the damn deal either, but I manage."

"Again I say…"

Sakura stopped him by raising her hand. "I'm sorry father, I should have asked first."

Oh, there it was! He glared at her.

_I'll be damned, _Inner Sakura commented.

He even growled. "Do _not_ call me that!"

Sakura paused and breathed. She didn't know whether to be scared or…

_Damn that was hot! _Inner Sakura screamed.

Yes, her feelings for Sasuke hadn't completely vanished; she'd known that from the very beginning. She knew they hadn't, but now that she knew what her feelings for Naruto were she'd assumed that her love for Sasuke would have diminished. It didn't. There was another problem however. Sasuke scared her. He was still the boy she loved, but the man he had become in certain situations frightened the shit out of her.

Sakura bit her lip and reached for her drink, gulping it down. It was a drink which Naruto had graciously sat down in front of her, before returning to Shikamaru, Kiba, and Lee a table over, who had been obviously having some type of important conversation.

She choked slightly, quickly bringing her hand to her mouth, grimacing at the strong taste. Stupid Naruto!

"I'm sorry, is 'dad' better. Or 'daddy,'? Since you'll be telling me what I can and can't do it would insinuate that you're my father—since he's the _only_ man that can tell me what to do!"

Suigetsu smirked and gave Sakura a suggestive look. "I could deal with you calling me daddy. I have a whole scene we could play out."

Suigetsu seemed to have a very dirty sense of humor when he would drink. Something Sakura normally found amusing, especially since he would be dirty enough to embarrass Naruto. Then Naruto would shout and holler obscenities that just would make Sakura laugh harder. Ever since Naruto had come back from his trip with the perverted frog hermit, Sakura had managed to make her skin thicker towards the numerous perverts in her group.

She gave him a dull stare and continued. "Suigetsu…" she snapped with warning, "It's been decided Sasuke," and purposefully dropping the 'kun' at the end of his name.

He didn't like that, when she didn't say 'Sasuke-kun'. It was probably the closest she'd ever get to really ticking him off. It was the whole pretending he'd never left terms. It was just ridiculous in Sakura's opinion.

"Sasuke-kun, maybe you should let it go. Hokage-sama did deliver the message directly," Ino chimed in, her words slurring slightly.

Sakura glanced swiftly at the blonde. The girl was three sheets to the wind, but that didn't matter when she was helping Sakura make a point. She must have come early, that or Sakura was late, though a time hadn't been set.

Sakura quickly decided to just ignore Sasuke. She was going to have fun tonight. He would eventually join Naruto at the table over, which seemed to be the place to be because now Juugo was over there as well.

"What do you say Ino-chan?" Suigetsu tried to speak seductively while trying to still stay seated in his chair.

Sakura gasped, her eyes widening, and quickly turned to Ino. "Don't you answer him!"

Ino smiled at Suigetsu, but turned her attention to Sakura, her eyes quickly narrowing. "This is a goodbye party for you forehead and you've barely had anything! Here are two shooters for ya, catch up!"

"Pig, it would take more than that!"

"HA! Are you calling me a light weight?"

Sakura rolled her eyes skyward, a smirk forming. "Yep."

Ino tossed her hair, sat up straighter, and clutched the shot glass tighter in her hand. "Oh bring it on Forehead."

Sai had simply been observing the two quietly before leaning forward and giving a fake smile. "Ugly, I would like to join."

Her smile faltered. "You want to have a drinking contest with us? Have you ever been drunk Sai?"

"It is something I haven't yet experienced."

"I'll—" Suigetsu started.

Sakura snorted as Suigetsu tried to lean forward, 'tried' being the key word. "You're basically drunk already."

His eyes flashed and he leaned across the table "My cute little pink fairy, how silly you are. It is called acting. Be prepared to lose."

Sakura laughed evilly as Suigetsu slurred. She had this in the bag. "What are we drinking for?"

Suigetsu and Sai started going back and forth over something that sounded like paint or swords, both probably.

"I think I can speak for everyone when I say that if any of us win we'll take one of Sakura's orgasmic massages," Ino hollered over them.

"INO!" Sakura yelped.

"Sakura they're magnificent."

Sai nodded his head. "They are quite pleasurable."

"They're supposed to be muscle relaxation techniques and only a few people have actually gotten them! They're therapeutic cures, not something I give out for free."

Ino perked up at that, her blue eyes showing interest. "Really? Who are the "select few", aside from me and Sai?"

"I've only done it for those who were very badly injured in a battle."

Ino smirked. "And that would be every Shinobi…"

"No!" Sakura blushed. "Ino you got a different type of massa-"

"Then who…I'll just keep on bugging you," Ino interrupted Sakura casually.

"Kakashi, Lee, Naruto, Hinata, Neji, Shikamaru, and of course Sai and you Ino," she mumbled.

"Why so embarrassed?" Suigetsu questioned.

"It's a full body massage—that's not really why I'm embarrassed though. Ino was…"

It honestly wasn't because it was basically a full (posterior) massage. Ino just didn't understand what had happened with her own experience.

"Innocent little flower," Suigetsu chuckled, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "Why is it orgasmic?"

"Only to Ino and would you all just stop interrupting me," Sakura shouted quickly, her cheeks turning red once more.

Suigetsu's right eyebrow rose with curiosity.

It was Ino's turn to look surprised and slightly embarrassed. For once it appeared the girl didn't know what to say. "I can't have been the only one to—to have…"

Sakura nodded vehemently, her eyes widening to prove her point.

Ino shook her head, trying desperately hard to keep her mouth closed. "How is it even possible?"

Sakura gave a nervous laugh. "I use chakra to stimulate the seven major chakra points in the body. To a person whom is already in serious pain this is a soothing procedure. Ino, you weren't that badly hurt, but do you recall it was your pelvic bone that had been damaged in a fall? Not to mention you were the first person Tsunade had let me try it on. I unfortunately channeled too much Svadisthana."

Ino's eyes, still wide, motioned with her hand for Sakura to continue. "Which is? Come on, not all of us are hardcore medics!"

"It's one of the seven chakras. This specific chakra actually produces the sex hormones."

Ino nodded and she appeared to be trying to understand that situation she'd put she and Sakura in. "So I get the first time…" Ino spoke, her voice tinged with slices of surprise and irritation.

"The other two times I-a--I did it on purpose."

Ino gasped. "Why would you do that?"

Sakura shrugged and averted her eyes away from her filled shot glass. "I was curious how it had happened the first time, so I did some calculations."

"You made me a guinea pig three times?"

Sakura shrugged again. "If the name fits…"

Ino clucked her tongue. "Well if I win, be sure to do it again on purpose this time too!"

"Me too!" Suigetsu hollered with enthusiasm.

Sakura's head jerked towards Suigetsu. "No!"

"That's the deal, my beautiful pink haired angel. The winner gets an _orgasmic_ massage," Suigetsu grinned slyly, looking highly pleased with himself.

"I would like to experience this _orgasm_ as well," Sai commented, a fake smile on his face.

"Baka!" Sakura snapped at Sai, holding in the temptation to throw the table at him. Instead she twined her fingers tightly together over her lap. "What happens if I win?"

"Name it." Ino encouraged.

"I believe Ino called herself 'guinea pig,'" Sakura smirked, hinting the topic casually.

"Not just me though! Not that I really mind," Ino interrupted.

"Hm," Suigetsu frowned.

His sudden quietness and wary facial expressions caused Sakura to frown slightly. "I wouldn't do anything that would prove to make you uncomfortable Suigetsu."

He cleared his throat and put that silly, happy go lucky smirk back on his face. "Okay then."

"Lets put questions into the mix," Ino suggested suddenly.

"What?" Sai asked, showing what Sakura could only assume to be curiosity.

"A bit like truth or dare, but in this case you have the choice to answer the question truthfully or take a shot. If the question has more than one answer you have to take two shots."

"Have some in mind Ino-pig?" Sakura chuckled.

She grinned evilly and put the tips of her fingers together. "Definitely."

Sakura shook her head and mentally prepared herself. She looked towards the table where Naruto, Juugo, Sasuke, Karin and other people from different teams sat, flinching back a little as she caught Sasuke staring at her.

His issues with her would just have to wait.

To Be Continued…

Sorry for the wait. Hope you all enjoyed the chapter and please point out mistakes.


	3. Chapter 03

Author Note: The title **Loverly **just isn't working for me, but honestly the original title My Life Would Suck without You isn't going to work either because though the song inspired it, it's not the only one making an appearance. So it's still a WIP title! This story (when I update) is going to be a couple of parts. Part One: Sasuke's Return, Part Two: Sakura's mission, that doesn't happen (lots of Sand Nin in this one), Part Three: Wrapping up the end. I'm going for three chapters for each part.

Warning: This story and the two following it is a lot of everyone loving or being in love with Sakura. Sakura is my favorite character so it shows in my stuff!

Chapter Three -

End of Part I:

"_Being with you is so dysfunctional I really shouldn't miss you, but I can't let you go. 'Cuz we belong together now. Forever united here somehow. _

_You got a piece of me and honestly my life would suck without you," _

My Life Would Suck Without You by Kelly Clarkson.

Shikamaru sighed, rubbed his hands over his thighs, and placed his glass down. "Looks like we need to intervene, they're starting to get louder than the noise. How troublesome," he grumbled, "trouble, trouble, trouble, with a capital 'T'. Naruto, you get yours, I'll get mine."

Naruto smile was slow as what Shikamaru said sunk it. He turned his attention away from the guys and watched Sakura, his blue eyes twinkling as she scowled at Ino for some reason or other. You get yours, Shikamaru had said to him, and the flutter in his stomach nearly took his breath. What really floored him though was the look on Sasuke's face at those words. It had been brief, no one else would have caught it, but it was there.

Sasuke wanted Sakura.

Naruto struggled to keeps his wavering smile in place as his heart ached with that realization, knowing the minute he'd seen that look on Sasuke's face that Naruto's feelings would remain unrequited, but he would manage as long as they were happy.

"Sasuke, you'll help too. You get Sakura, I'll get Suigetsu."

"Hn."

Though it was a simple 'hn' for Sasuke, Naruto knew him well enough to hear the relief in his voice, to notice the slight darkening of his eyes as they honed in on the pink haired girl, it didn't matter that he'd been gone for so long, because some things just didn't change.

Sakura…

"How are women and tornadoes alike?"

Sakura scowled at Ino, her expression showing her disapproval. "Pig, you shouldn't encourage this set of jokes. You _are_ a woman after all."

"They both moan like hell when they come and take the house when they leave!"

Sakura snorted and her scowl deepened as she addressed the group around her. She puffed a breath to get her hair out of her eyes and shook her head, "Dear lord that was ridiculous!"

"It wasn't," Suigetsu roared unnecessarily long, along with Ino. "It was hilarious!" Ino added.

Sakura frowned as the two continue to gasp for breath. "I'll admit it was decent, but it wasn't that funny."

"Oh? Tell us a better one; if you can't you have to take three more shots!" Ino commented, her words slurring, and her blonde eyebrow curving in challenge.

Typical! She thought to herself, her right eye twitching while trying to resist the childish challenge.

Sakura bit her bottom lip, her green eyes flashed, and she slammed her fist on the table standing up and yelled, "I can so tell a better one!"

"Do it then," Suigetsu encouraged leaning back in his chair, finding this line of conversation more amusing than the last.

Sakura folded her arms underneath her breasts and slowly sat down. "Fine, here goes."

"Make it dirty!" Ino chimed in, chuckling. "She can't do it if it's dirty," she mumbled her hand trying to cover up what she was saying; only she'd said it rather loudly to Suigetsu.

"Why?" Suigetsu asked, raising one of his drinks to his lips.

Ino grinned evilly as she looked towards Sakura, and then turned her attention back towards Sakura. "She only has intimate knowledge of girls."

The large gulp Suigetsu had taken spurted out the corners of his mouth and he just barely managed to keep the rest in by swallowing.

"Do you want me to hit you Pig?"

"Just tell the dirty joke!"

"Wait, lets get back to what Blondie just said," Suigestu started.

Sakura, blatantly ignoring him started her joke. "A man and a woman started having oral sex in the middle of an extremely dark forest. After about fifteen minutes of it, the man finally gets up and says, "Damn, I wish I had a flashlight!" and the woman replies, "Me too, you've been eating grass for the past ten minutes!" Sakura shouted.

Crickets chirped.

Sakura's face flamed as she realized she'd spoken too loud, and quickly slouched down into her chair, bringing a hand up to cover the side of her face, after taking another shot.

"I-I don't think that qualifies as a 'dirty' joke," Ino said, shaking her head. "I mean it was okay, but you just made everyone go all quiet. So it doesn't work!"

Sakura literally growled at Ino, her face turning red out of anger this time. Knowing she should just keep silent but still not being able to resist, she dug herself a grave by aiming the next joke at Ino. "You want another? Okay. What did the blondes left leg say to her right leg?"

Suigetsu, who was normally the one to start trouble, seemed to realize what was happening and held up a finger, trying to speak. "Maybe you shouldn't-"

Ino held her hand up with a smile of fake tolerance. "Let her finish."

"Between the two of us, we can make a lot of money," Sakura said very calmly. She reached for her drink and started to bring it to her mouth, but snorted into it, sloshing a bit onto her hand.

Ino scowled and shrugged off the sudden warm hand that landed on her shoulder. "That was actually decent, but if that was directed at me fore…"

"Okay, let's get back to the game! Ino," Suigetsu interrupted. His eyes seemed to switch past Ino for a moment then switched behind Sakura.

What the hell? Inner Sakura growled, noticing the sobriety in his voice.

It was the way he spoke that caused Sakura to narrow her eyes and frown with wariness. He's voice wasn't slurring like it had been a few minutes ago. He wasn't drunk, while she and Ino were beyond tipsy.

"You cheat," Sakura glared and whispered slowly.

Suigetsu gave a nervous laugh, completely ignoring Sakura. "Ino, have you and Sakura ever done anything with each other sexually and if so can you describe it in some detail so we can be sure you aren't lying?"

Sakura stiffened. "Hey! Hey! That is none of your—" she growled.

"Kind of, ergo her intimate knowledge, dumb ass," Ino answered, completely ignoring her. "And about the details…"

Sakura sucked in her breath, showing how highly offended she was. "Ino—"

Suigetsu waited, but when it looked like Ino wasn't going to continue he frowned, the excitement that had replaced his extremely sober look, slipping from his face. "That's not an answer."

"It sure the hell is, now, Sai," Ino turned addressing the man who'd been so silent. "Who would you like to have a sexual encounter with?" Ino questioned smiling at the Root member as he shook his head trying to pay attention without dozing off.

"I refuse to answer on the grounds that I don't understand the question," he slurred, dropping his chin on his hand and smiling gently at Sakura before turning his gaze back to Ino.

"What don't you understand?"

"Just leave it," Sakura growled at Ino. "He can barely sit up."

"Sakura," Sai started, his eyes shifted above her head, not focusing completely on her for a few minutes. "People are under the impression that you're in love with two men. Is this true?"

"What the hell! Why are you two not drunk?" she cried out. There was no slur in his voice either.

CHEAT! Inner Sakura screamed.

She'd under estimated her opponents and should have pushed more chakra into her system so she could fight off the alcohol.

She gave a smile and choosing to not answer, reached for the shot.

"Oh! Such an obvious refusal to answer should require at least two drinks," Suigetsu smirked, with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Sasuke, Naruto, Shikamaru," he commented casually in greeting.

That moment was when it dawned on Sakura why Sai and Suigetsu had glanced through Ino and Sakura for a few seconds before asking the question. They'd been behind her the whole time.

CHEAT! CHEAT! Inner Sakura screamed again.

She slowly turned in her chair, her face a cherry red, mostly from the alcohol, but a little bit from the witnesses for that previous question.

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, his cheeks flushed, "Eh, Sakura-chan, you guys are getting pretty loud we came over to-um…"

"Collect you," Sasuke provided.

"What am I a stamp?" she commented before turning in her chair to give a viciously angry glare at Sai, warning him with her eyes that he would get his due. "Sit down!" she yelled at the three men behind her. Then quickly added, "Naruto they cheated!" she cried in outrage, pointing angrily at Sai and Suigetsu.

She heard a snort, from a direction she couldn't figure out, (damn the alcohol!) and clenched her fists in response.

Naruto pulling a chair on either side of Sakura, one for himself and Sasuke, sat down and smirked at his girl teammate, his eyes becoming soft as he watched her face. "Want me to kick their asses?"

She paused frowning at him before clucking her tongue and rolling her eyes, with anger. "No, I'll do it myself…when I can see straight!"

"We should actually be going Sakura," Naruto started.

"After we finished these last seven rounds we'll go, but we started this game, and will finish it!" she snapped, her eye moving between the three new additions to the table, letting them know she meant business. It was at this moment though she noticed Sasuke pulling his chair away from her.

Apparently Naruto, who was fine with practically being on top of her, under estimated his raven haired friends need to become 'closer to the team', as Naruto had put it. She glared at him, her anger become a beast of its own.

"Here, here," Ino giggled, dropping her head to Shikamaru's shoulder.

"So it's my turn and since we seem to be doing hard hitting questions…Suigetsu, what do you suppose you, Karin, and Juugo had that Naruto, me, and Kakashi didn't?"

Naruto sucked in his breath, his eyes widened a fraction. "Okay Sakura-chan, we should really—"

"I'll need you to elaborate," Suigetsu informed.

"Why were you better than us?" Sakura snapped, glaring at Sasuke the whole time. He'd averted his attention from the table to stare at Sakura. With the same emotionless face as always and she knew she wasn't sorry for asking it. She knew it was bound to come out, what a better time than when she was basically drunk. It was an amazing excuse!

Suigetsu snorted. "That's easy enough. The two of you were weak, but then again you already knew that."

Sakura scoffed, tossing her hair behind her head, but still keeping her eyes on Sasuke, who refused to break eye contact. "Please! I could break you with my pinky and with my pointing finger I can cause a myocardial infarction in a perfectly healthy adult," she snarled at Sasuke.

"Okay, _now_ you can do that, but not then, and all the same we're still better than you at least," Suigetsu commented with a straight face.

"Now that's a bunch of -" Naruto started.

"Relax dickless he was kidding. In fact the only way to know if one is better than the other is to have them fight," Sai added, not looking the least bit drunk anymore.

Sakura frowned at him. Sai had been trying to distract her with that comment and his lack of slurring.

Mission succeeded! Inner Sakura chortled.

"Cheat," she mumbled.

"And there will be no fighting," Sasuke added.

Sakura snorted. "I agree _Daddy_, but only because I happen to like Suigetsu," she paused, as if she was confused for a moment with what she'd said, "kind of. When he isn't cheating and pretending to be drunk that is!"

Suigetsu smiled and raised one of his half full beers 'on the side' glass to her. "I like you too."

"And who died and made you God anyway?" she growled back, completely ignoring Suigestu's comment. "No, I really want to know? What is it with this God complex you have?"

Apparently she'd said that pretty loud too. She didn't care.

"Well Sasuke? Got any answers for me there?"

Naruto sighed heavily and got to his feet, reaching for Sakura. "It was bound to happen at one point Teme." Naruto sighed heavily and looked towards Sasuke, who seemed to be very focused on Sakura. When Sakura started to back up, as if she was going to get up and leave. Naruto smiled boisterously and offered her his hand to help her off the chair. "I'll carry you if I havta," he offered, pulling her swiftly to a standing position.

Sakura pulled away slightly, but wobbled. "Whoa, don't move me so fast!" she managed to mumble before her legs crumpled under her. She gave a snorted chuckle before turning her head up to Naruto, her eyes sparkling happily.

"Then carry me!" she cried out gleefully, wrapping her arms around his neck. He obliged, sweeping her up so that her feet dangled over his arms. "Sasuke, are you coming?" she called back over Naruto's shoulder, her feet swinging back and forth. "See you tomorrow Ino."

And as if the conversation of Sasuke and God had never happened Sasuke simply stood up and followed.

Ino's response was a snore and a cuddle deeper into Shikamaru's side, who sighed heavily. "Troublesome."

The two, Naruto and Sasuke, where kindly walking her back to her house, and Sakura was comfortably snuggled in Naruto's arms. It was a perfect end to a drunken night.

"So, Sasuke-kun how's the progress with Karin going?" Sakura asked.

She couldn't seem to help it and honestly wasn't asking it to look for a fight. She was curious is all! When she drank she knew she had diarrhea of the mouth, but she'd been waiting for an answer to this question ever since she found out Karin would be staying. She would regret this in the morning, she knew because she wasn't nearly drunk enough to forget, but just enough to have a loose tongue and loose legs, and maybe a loose...

"Progress?"

"One word answers—okay, how is the 'revival' of your clan going?"

"With Karin?" he asked, sounding appalled.

Had she gotten it wrong? Sakura wondered briefly. No, maybe it was just that Sasuke wasn't ready for kids yet.

"The sperm count drops drastically with age! You really shouldn't wait!"

"Gees Sakura-chan," Naruto mumbled, adjusting her slightly in his arms.

Sakura clucked her tongue. "What? It's common knowledge."

"Sakura-chan I was wondering," Naruto spoke softly. "Someone commented about you being in love with two—"

"I know right! How ridiculous is that? It's completely irrational to be in love with two men at the same time!" she chuckled brushing his comment off, hoping he wouldn't think she was a stupid fickle teenage girl who couldn't make up her mind.

"I'm just saying it would be okay if it were true. Just, I at least know one, but who's the other?" Naruto asked, trying to blow it off as if it didn't matter, but even though she was drunk, she could hear the hurt in his voice.

_Bite your tongue! This will cause a huge catastrophe!_ Inner Sakura screamed.

_He's such a good man and he's had such a hard life. He needs something_…Outer Sakura replied internally.

_He's not a man, he's barely seventeen! _

_Inner Sakura, it's always different for Shinobi, always._

"Naruto, I am in love with two guys" she whispered, gently placing a light kiss against his neck (she would definitely die of embarrassment come morning—there's no way she would forget this, or his masculine smell, or the way his breath caught and the way his cheek dropped against her own. Oh dear lord he was amazing!) "It's almost always been you and Sasuke. Didn't you know?"

She felt his arms tighten around her, pulling her closer to his chest, and she was so comfortable in that moment she felt her eyes drooping.

Stupid alcohol! How can I be sleepy after I just admitted to being in love with Sasuke and Naruto, in front of Sasuke and Naruto?

"Sakura—" Naruto whispered, unconsciously rubbing his cheek against hers.

He felt her breath evening out just as his heart started pounding.

"Sakura!" he whispered more harshly.

"She's asleep."

"Damn it and thank you Sasuke, I'm the one that's carrying her! I know she's asleep! Why did she have to fall asleep now?" he practically panted out. "I just wanted to-I wanted to hear her say she love me."

It was then he seemed to notice how tightly he was holding her. Loosening his grip on her slightly, he turned to Sasuke. "She still loves you." It was a simple comment, but it still felt like the world was spinning, because though she loved Sasuke, he'd always known that, but she admitted to loving him too.

"Hn."

"Teme, don't you have anything else to say? I know that makes you feel something! The way you've been looking at her, ever since you came back you've been-"

"She loves you too," he snapped, cutting Naruto's rambling rampage off.

"Of course, but not like in love with me, it was just…"

Sasuke shook his head, his eyes darkening as he stared at Naruto. "No. She said 'Naruto, I am in love with two guys,' her exact words '_in love_'"

Naruto shrugged, staring at Sasuke. "Yeah, maybe, but when push comes to shove she'd choose you."

Sasuke shook his head. "I don't think so. Not after everything. It seems our roles Naruto have been reversed."

"What the hell do you mean?"

"She glares and yells at me, but blushes and smiles around you," Sasuke spoke softly.

"Well then who do you think she'll choose?"

Sasuke paused in his walking and in his response. He turned slightly, eyeing Naruto before he spoke. "I don't think she has to choose."

"What?" Naruto asked in a monotone voice, as he faced away from Sasuke and started to walk again.

"It would make sense. Don't you think? That the three of us _be_ _together_," Sasuke said it like it was the most normal thing in the world, but in truth it almost made Naruto drop Sakura.

"As in, like, a threesome?"

"No, you make it sound dirty!"

Naruto shook his head in wonder. "Sasuke, double penetration is a bit dirty, sexy, but dirty."

"Double—Dobe!" Sasuke sighed heavily. Naruto noticed out of the corner of his eye Sasuke rubbing his hands against his sides.

"Jesus, you're serious," Naruto shook his head in wonder as he stopped his pursuit to Sakura's house to turn and look at his best friend once more.

"I wasn't talking about sex, but of course there would be some, _eventually_. It's more like you, Sakura, and me, well, we, the three of us could be a couple."

"Hell yes!" Naruto practically shouted.

Sasuke frowned. "I didn't think you'd agree so quickly."

"How long have you been thinking about this Sasuke?"

Sasuke sighed, rolling his upward, looking at the stars.

"Pervert! I thought I was dirty…is that what you were thinking about when Orochimaru was-"

Sasuke glared at the sky. "Shut-up Dobe! It was possibly before that anyway. I mean, when I wasn't thinking about killing Itachi."

"Shit. Well you should know my escapades with Jiraiya didn't make me completely straight, so I'm for it but Sakura, she's—she's a good girl. I don't know how she'll respond to this," Naruto said, knowing Sasuke wanted a change of subject.

"I agree," Sasuke nodded, motioning them to start walking when he noticed Sakura give a tiny shiver.

"I think she's just cold, but she's definitely asleep," Naruto informed him.

"We shouldn't tell her out right; we'll ease her into it, starting when she wakes up."

Naruto paused for only a second before he responded. "Excuse me?"

"Let's go to my place, my bed is big enough for three people."

"She's knocked out Sasuke. I said I was game, but not for that!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I didn't mean take advantage of her, just simply sleep, with her in the middle. We used to do it all the time before I left."

"Yeah, when we were on missions and it was cold out. Not to mention she was more coherent."

"She won't think anything of it."

Naruto shrugged, not fighting as hard as he probably should have. It was the prospect of waking up to his two favorite people, of cuddling with Sakura while he fell asleep, and seeing Sasuke's emotionless face that caused him to just not care that much.

Sasuke inhaled deeply, trying to calm his emotions, leaning against his bathroom sink, while listening to Naruto shuffle Sakura towards the middle of his bed.

This was too fast and it felt wrong for some reason. Not him being with them, but he only hoped he wasn't forcing anyone into a position they didn't want to be in, specifically Sakura.

She was so angry with him and honestly he couldn't blame her. Sasuke had expected it from her, Naruto, everyone, what he hadn't expected was Sakura being so verbal about it. Sure he'd come back with the knowledge of wanting to take her as his, but he'd expected the obsessed, over bearing, but sexy pink haired, green eyed girl to welcome him. This side of her had surprised him, then angered him, then turned him on. When she'd addressed him in the hospital room he had wanted her to just hug him and tell him that 'of course she'd want him back,' only she hadn't.

He knew it had more to do with his other companions and what they were asking than himself, she'd even stated so, but he'd just wanted…_her._

Sakura had waited so long, he'd waited so long, and Naruto (his wait was most likely considerably longer) was just the cherry on top. He would be with them from now on and nothing would change that, even Sasuke's own uncertainties.

Sakura just had to agree and she would because they, the three of them, belonged together.

To Be Continued…

Sorry for any mistakes-if you noticed something tell me and I'll try to remember to change it!

The **jokes** in the story are **not mine**! They're from a joke site that I thought I'd copied down, but apparently I've been very absent minded lately and did not.

"…trouble, trouble, trouble, with a capital 'T'" – Quest for Camelot


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